Nomi Sushi received a $25,000 grant from the Match on Main program through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The funding is intended to support small businesses in Michigan.
Executive Director of the Charlevoix Main Street program, Lindsey Dotson said the sushi bar plans to stay open year round, and that’s a boon for the community.
"Most of the time if a business is open year-round it’s not necessarily because it makes sense dollars and cents-wise, it’s more so because they care about our overall vision of creating a more year-round economy for Charlevoix."
Dotson said the sushi owner also owns an adjacent restaurant which will allow him to share employees. Still she said the state grant funding was a big help.
"Usually when a business opens, especially in a downtown where rents may be higher than elsewhere, startup costs tend to be higher than they anticipate. And sometimes that’s a make-or-break for some of these businesses who don’t have a lot of capital up front to take on these expenses."
The sushi bar is scheduled to open by Wednesday.